Amy's injuries included a 4in long slash across her face - a cut going
from the right corner of the victim's mouth along her cheek

She had been stabbed several times and had a 4in cut across her face. She died later that day.

Yesterday her boyfriend Ricardo Morrison, 21, went on trial
accused of murder. Alongside him in the dock was his mother, Melda
Wilks, 49, a policewoman who is accused of assisting her son by washing
his clothes.

Morrison, a promising footballer, had worked as an assistant coach at the Brazilian Soccer School in Birmingham.

Ricardo Morrison is accused of Amy Leigh Barnes's murder. He appeared in the dock alongside his policewoman mother, Melda Wilks

The couple had been together for about a year, living first at
Miss Barnes's mother's house and then at her grandmother's terrace home
in Farnworth, Manchester, the court heard.

But the relationship had 'serious problems', and in the early
hours of November 8 last year, Miss Barnes sent Morrison a text message
saying 'You are out of my life for good', Manchester Crown Court heard.

That morning, after her grandmother had left for work, Morrison
allegedly attacked Miss Barnes at the house, punching her, spraying an
aerosol in her face and then hurting her arm in a door.

He then left to go to the bank, locking the front door with the only key they had and taking it with him, trapping her inside.

Miss Barnes continued sending him text messages, in one calling him a 'woman-beater'. 'Upset and tearful',

she called her mother, Karyn, who was very worried, the court heard.

It was arranged that her father would collect a house key from
her grandmother, pick her up from the house and take her to her
parents.

Amy with friend Benni McCarthy of Blackburn
Rovers. The part-time model and actress was found last November by her
father lying in a pool of blood

He set off, but Miss Barnes was dead by the time he arrived.
The court heard after her flurry of texts to Morrison, Miss Barnes had
rung the Vodafone phone firm at 11am and arranged for them to
disconnect his mobile phone - which was listed in her name.

Stuart Driver QC, prosecuting, said this 'must have been frustrating' for Morrison.

Just after 11.30am Miss Barnes again called her mother, then at
11.35am came the desperate 999 call. The court heard she had five stab
wounds to her chest and four to her back.

Mr Driver said that while Miss Barnes was in intensive care, her mother called Morrison's mother in Birmingham.

After an angry exchange, the court heard Wilks had texted Miss
Barnes's mother: 'I know what my... (sic) has done is unforgivable - no
need to be rude... My son will be dealt with by the law.'

The prosecutor added Wilks then sent a text to Morrison
saying: 'Hi son. Please, please give me a call. I have had a very
disturbing phone call from Amy's mum alleging that you caused her an
injury and that you have been abusing her.'

Mr Driver said Wilks picked up Morrison when he arrived in Birmingham later that day.

He insisted he had not hurt Miss Barnes, and his mother took him
home and washed his clothes, later saying this was because he didn't
have a bag with him, it was claimed.